Business, Productivity & Collaboration Application service, Zoho is celebrating its fifth year.

I have been recommending Zoho to my fellow  Solopreneurs for many years now and I continue to use several of Zoho’s office suite services to this day. My ultimate favorite is ZohoCRM.  ZohoMeeting has been the perfect web based tool for most of my virtual training sessions and I use ZohoNote book daily to keep track of client notes and website bookmarks.

Zoho has recently collaborated with Google and can now be linked to your Google Apps email and calendar. So congratulations again Zoho for making it to the five year threshold.

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Ok so the tech world is a Buzz.. no pun intended about this new communication service by Google. Google Buzz was release with very little fan fair and a lot of quirky bugs. No one really new what to expect from the announcement and many were puzzled at first with what they saw. Was this new service going to replace Google Wave? Or was it something that was going to challenge the social media behemoths of the world like Twitter and Facebook. Answer.. A little of both.

Google Buzz has made most of us wonder why it was not released instead of Google Wave oh so many months ago. By the way have any of you actually used your Google Wave accounts since being able to use the service? I used my account all of 3 times. It was way to advanced and complicated for me. I especially didn’t like the feature of having people see exactly what I was typing in real time.

Buzz is inside gmail which is a good and not so good thing.  Unlike Twitter, Facebook and even linkedIn you don’t have a Google buzz web address. You can get to someones buzz account through your Google profile address. Mine is http://www.google.com/profiles/jbrath

At first getting someones Buzz stream was a complete chore because of all the threaded replies and comments. They have since fixed that and most of the other privacy issue problems.

I for one am almost Buzzed out. The thrill is gone and I really don’t care to buzz anymore.  I currently have just over 56 followers who are really not that buzzed as well. I click on the buzz link in my gmail every once in a while but I am not really getting anything more than I am getting from the other social networking services.

So what’s your take on Buzz?

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Are you tired of wasting paper and ink printing unwanted content and graphics from the Internet?  As wonderful as the Internet has been all these many years for finding and distributing great content, there has been one huge flaw up till now that has not been addressed.

Most people that find what they want on the Internet eventually choose to print that information out via their laser or deskjet printer.  The problem is when you print that website out you almost never know what you are going to get.

“Print What You Like“  a Web 2.0 service has finally made it easy to fix an Internet problem most of us have endured for many years.

If you are like me all you really want is to print the content that is most important to you and nothing else. Well your frustration in printing websites is finally over because the printwhatyouwant.com service virtually eliminates the waste in three easy steps.

Step 1

Lets say you are on a website that has content along with full color graphics for ads and a dark background. Depending on how that website was created, printing it could be a paper and ink nightmare.

Step 2

Put that same url/website address in the space provided on Printwhatyoulike.com website and watch the magic happen. PrintWhatYoulike.com will take out all the background color, ads, and anything else you don’t want to print.

Step 3

Print.

It is that simple.

Check out this video demonstration of just how easy it is to use Printwhatyoulike.com

This service has the best of both worlds, not only are you saving money by not wasting paper and ink but your savings stays in your pocket because this service is absolutely Free. Every time I use the service I feel as though I am making a difference in becoming more environmentally contentious. The more you use the service the more you realize how wasteful your old ways of printing websites really is.

Printwhatyoulike.com allows you to print Green while saving you some Greenbacks. I highly recommend you try this service and ask for some of your feedback on how you saved money in the comments below.

All the best

JB

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Ok the reviews are all in and the iPad has impressed us all when it was finally unveiled by Apple CEO Steve Jobs on January 27th. All the hype finally came to an end when Mr. Jobs gave a run down of all the great features the iPad has to offer its users. I was just as impressed with many of the specs of this long awaited device.  I have read many reviews that were Good, Bad and even down right Ugly when it comes to the iPad, so here is my take on those reviews.

The iGood
iPad reviewed by Ben Parr of Mashable.
Apple iPad: A Comprehensive Guide

This review is the most comprehensive of the reviews I read. It is very detailed and well thought out. Ben does a great job of first giving an overview of the iPad by showing the introduction video that is also featured on the Apple website.  Ben goes on by breaking down all the specifications of the iPad. He then gives you the pricing, the availability, the closest competitors to the iPad and then finally what the iPad lacks.

Please click here to see Ben’s full review of the iPad.

The iBad
iPad reviewed by Bianca Bosker of The Huffington Post.
Apple iPad Review (PHOTOS): 9 Worst Things About The Apple Tablet

This review gives you a breakdown of all the things that are not so good about the iPad. I like this review because it uses pictures to tell the story of why you may want to think twice before you run out and pre order the iPad. It starts with the fact that Apple chose to name their new device iPad instead of one of the rumored names like  iTablet or iSlate. This review then goes on to criticize all of the many things wrong with the iPad that include the lack of mutitasking, a camera, flash capability and a USB port just to name of few. I thought this review was very creative in bringing more attention to the weaknesses of the iPad.

Please click here to see Bianca’s full review of the iPad.

The iUgly
iPad reviewd by Michael Arrington of TechCrunch.
iPad v. A Rock

This was the funniest review and the most harsh, hence “The iUgly” term used.  Michael goes so far as to compare the iPad to an actual Rock.  Even though this review makes fun of all the things the iPad does not do, it gives  you a cut and dry understanding of why we should not have played into all the hype.  And get this, the  rock almost wins in this side by side comparison.

Click here to see the full story.

The Verdict

When first hearing about and then seeing all the cool stuff the iPad could do I was convinced this device would be the first Apple product I would choose to own. Unfortunately after then hearing about all the things the iPad could not do, I am going to give it a PASS for the wish list this Christmas. Their were a couple of deal breakers but the ones that sealed it were the lack of USB and SD ports on the device without an adapter or docking station, the lack of multitasking and the lack of compatibility with the T-mobile 3G network. I just signed up for T-mobile and even though the iPad is sold unlocked it will not connect to my cell phone carrier. I guess I will have to wait for the iPad II or see what the HP Slate has to offer when it debuts some time this year.

Will you, get an Apple iPad?

If so please let us know why.

All the best

JB

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Who has the ultimate Operating System? Windows 7 is making a lot of noise right now. Mac OS X (Snow Leopard) is on the rise.  But what about Google’s Chrome OS where does it sit in this hierarchy of operating systems.  Well if you are looking for a fast booting completely web based application, that needs no explanation to operate because if you know how to use a browser you will know how to use Chrome OS.  If you biggest question is “How fast can I get on the Internet?” then this OS is for you. Especially if you are thinking of purchasing a new Netbook like I am one day.  See the Gadget Lab blog post to find out more  Five Things Google’s Chrome OS Will Do for Your Netbook.

Cost, Speed, Compatibility, Portability and New Applications are the main reasons you would choose Chrome OS over Windows 7 or Mac OS X for  your Netbook. The only drawback to this operating system is that if you are not connected to the Internet you will have problems. This OS is almost entirely dependent on the the Internet so if you have to store anything locally or you have to work offline 95 percent of the time, I would not suggest getting or installing Chrome OS.

So if you want go from 0 to Internet in less than 10 seconds, I totally recommend Google’s Chrome OS. I look forward to purchasing my first Netbook with Chrome OS already installed.

Here is a link to one of the first demos of Chrome OS

Here is a link to Tech Crunch where you read how to download and install Chrome OS

All the best

JB

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• RT @BrentLeary moderating 2mrws social media panel at #mybf09 feat @desireescales @colderice & @jbrath! http://bit.ly/5bieL #freeevent #
• @desireescales @SvyATL it was a pleasure meeting you both at the #mybf09 this morning #
• Had an awesome time on the #mybf09 panel on social media with @brentleary @colderice @desireescales and @KyleAHensel #
• @jawar 2 Blogging Bootcamps coming up on Aug 3rd & Sept 21st http://bit.ly/Xmdj0 I also have a Social Media seminar with the Dekalb Chamber #
• @Persona_Affairs thanks for the praise it was a pleasure sharing with such a great audience #mybf09 in reply to Persona_Affairs #
• RT @atlantatribune Amazon buys Zappos. http://is.gd/1IXb5 #
• RT @BrentLeary: RT @tweetmeme HOW TO: Build Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn http://bit.ly/v1hmd (@danschwabel article for @mashable) #

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• MJ is being celebrated today. We will always love you Micheal. May God keep your soul alive in our hearts. May he rest in peace. #
• KFC was gived the Biggest plug ever by Magic Johnson on how he and Micheal Jackson ate a bucket of chicken at his house..great story #
• Lincoln Small Business University » Blog Archive » Week 4 – 5 Technology Tips for Small Business http://bit.ly/oW7si great job @brentleary #
• 6 free Windows programs to fix and prevent PC problems on your own http://bit.ly/oJ9MX #
• RT @colderice @tweetmeme Is Bing.com REALLY Bigger than Twitter and Digg Mythbuster Challenge http://bit.ly/11znTQ #
• How to Become a Google News Source | Black Web 2.0 http://bit.ly/gIlhx great post @ABenton #

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• 3 Million Dollars, Dell And A PayPal "Donate" Button | Twarketing: Twitter Marketing Case Studies http://bit.ly/15Mrt6 #
• RT @socialmedia2day Microsoft Study Shows Tech-Savvy SMBs Will Help Spur Economic Recovery http://cli.gs/Y5ed9 (via @tweetmeme) #
• Seriously considering this wireless phone from Plantronics Calisto Pro Series http://bit.ly/3gCbjY Please share if you have this phone #
• @Wally724 404 Not Found on the link you set on the phone in reply to Wally724 #
• @PeggyDuncan I like your new Twitter profile background. I see you have been using your graphic artist skills again..;-) in reply to PeggyDuncan #
• @colderICE Hey John thanks for the praise. I really learned a lot from your presentation as well. Some of the stats you used were amazing. in reply to colderICE #
• Great video @peggyduncan YouTube – Part I Create Twitter (and YouTube Channel) Background with PowerPoint 2003 http://bit.ly/21hMDs #

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• Hey Peggy,

  Great post on image resizing software. If some of your readers are still using Windows XP they may want to… http://disq.us/m12 #

• Forbes Boost Your Business Contest.Take your business 2 the next level w/ 100k in cash & advertising Jun 30th deadline http://bit.ly/Er4tH #
• Sad that the KING of POP is GONE RIP MJ #
• @BrentLeary Thanks for the mention and thanks for being in attendance for our seminar at the #powernetworking conf in reply to BrentLeary #
• This years #powernetworking Conf was worth attending thanks to the great minds of @brentleary, @davidbullock & @DwightMiller great job guys #
• @davidbullock it great to finally meet you in person at the #powernetworking Conf this past week. in reply to davidbullock #
• @DwightMiller it was a pleasure meeting you in person at the #powernetworking Conf this past week. in reply to DwightMiller #
• RT @colderice @tweetmeme Twitter "BLACK OUT": The BET Awards Effect on Trending Topics on Twitter http://tinyurl.com/nhjxp2 #

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What are some Web 2.0 services you couldn’t live without? This blog post is inspired by one of my all time favorite blogs TechCrunch.  Here is my list of Web 2.0 services I would recommend to all the Soloprenuers and Small Businesses. Life would not be the same without these services may they never cross into the deadpool.

• PayPal
• Zoho CRM
• GrandCentral (GoogleVoice)
• iContact
• WordPress
• Google Reader
• Mint
• Twitter
• Hulu
• Facebook
• Linkedin

PayPal

PayPal.com: I have been using PayPal for almost 9 years now and still can’t do without it. Point blank if you are a Soloprenuer or Small Business owner and don’t have a PayPal account you are clearly missing out on  major revenue streams. Please check out my blog post PayPal.com Makes Ecommerce Easy for Solopreneurs and 10 Great PayPal Tips for Solopreneurs and Small Business Owners

Zoho CRM

Zohocrm.com: Clearly one of the best CRM’s for Small Business. I was at one time a very heavy Salesforce user until I found Zoho. Been using Zoho for over a year now and my Free version is still going strong. Check out my blog post Zoho.com Gives Solopreneurs a Suite of Successful Business Tools then go and get yourself a Free ZohoCRM account and let me know what you think.

GrandCentral/Google Voice

GrandCentral.com: One phone number you can have for life. Most of us have multiple ways to be contacted by phone.  We have a home number, work number, cell number and in many cases a second home office line.  I, only give out one phone number my GrandCentral number and it automatically forwards my calls to any one or all of my other numbers. Please read my post, Solopreneurs Stay In Touch With One Number From GrandCentral for more information on this great service.

iContact

iContact: Email marketing has come a long way from just gathering email addresses in Outlook and sending them through your local Internet Service Provider. The key to  using a service like iContact is taking advantage of all the broadcast email features like Open and Clickthrough Tracking, Message Scheduling and List Segmentation. Yes, there are many other email marketing services on the market like Constant Contact and Vertical Response but iContact is by far the better bang for the buck.

WordPress

WordPress: I have been using WordPress to power this blog and many others I have created. I used to use the Joomla CMS for my blogs but decided to move them all to the WordPress platform and have never looked back. Although both platforms were what I was looking for in Open Source, I was really impressed with the amount of plugins and themes WordPress had to offer. Please check out my post WordPress 2.7 Is Finally Here!.

Google Reader

Google Reader: Google has many great tools to choose from and all of them are good. Google Reader is one of my favorites because it helps me manage and keep track of all the blogs I enjoy reading on a regular basis. As long as the blog has an RSS feed I can bring it into my Google Reader. I can also create Blog topic folders to help keep the 100 plus blogs I subscirbe to in order. If you are new to using a RSS reader for all you blog reading I highly recommend Google Reader.

Mint

Mint: With all that is going on with the financial challenges of our nation and the world many of us need to make sure our current finances are in order. Mint is the ultimate way to keep track of almost all  your finances online. I have been using it for over a year now and it has made a big difference in my financial bottom line. Please check out my blog post Web 2.0 Solopreneur Site Of The Week: Mint.com out how it can help you and your small business.

Twitter

Twitter: @jbrath is officially on the Twitter bandwagon and suggest you all come ride it with me. Twitter is a micro blogging service that is currently taking the Internet by storm. And when I say storm I mean it literally has helped people navigate storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and in my personal case house fires. See my blog post Twitter Gives First Response News On House Fire In The Bronx Everyone now wants to look like the Twitter interface with Facebook and just recently FriendFeed changing their look to imitate Twitter. I currently have just over 1100 followers and have had my Twitter account for almost 2 years yet @Oprah just got on Twitter 2 weeks ago and will have one million followers by the end of 2 months.  Now that Oprah is on Twitter we can be rest assured that Twitter will have a way to make profit soon.

Hulu

Hulu: I don’t watch much television anymore but I really don’t have to with Web 2.0 video services like Hulu. I was one of the first beta testers of Hulu thanks again to TechCrunch and have been a huge fan ever since. Hulu allows you to watch some of your most favorite TV shows on-demand for FREE. I watch past episodes of  shows like Burn Notice, The Family Guy, Lie To Me and Rescue Me. Hulu’s mission is to help people find and enjoy the world’s premium video content when, where and how they want it. I still own a TV but Hulu makes it so much easier to watch quality programing on my computer.

Facebook

Facebook: Like everyone else on Facebook I am pretty hooked. I don’t spend as much time as I used to on Facebook but that’s because my business keeps me on another social networking site that I will talk about next. Facebook is great for keeping up with all my high school and college mates. I have also recently used it to invite many of my Facebook friends to attend a teleseminar I held.  Facebook is awesome for keeping track friends and family members without having to call them on the phone or sending them an email.

Linkedin

Linkedin: LinkedIn has over 40 million members in over 200 countries and territories around the world. A new member joins LinkedIn approximately every second, and about half of our members are outside the U.S. Executives from all Fortune 500 companies are LinkedIn members. I have been concentrating me efforts on Linkedin for the past few months because I feel it is the best social networking site that meets the needs of most profesionals.  Soloprenuers should create a profile on Linkedin and start making connections. Take a listen to the Teleseminar I did with Linkedin Expert Lewis Howes.

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